Serrano heads to New York with the 111th overall pick
Eli Serrano became the second NC State player to hear his name called in the 2024 MLB Draft as the New York Mets used their 4th round pick on the Wolfpack centerfielder. The slot value for that pick, #111 overall, is $656k.
Serrano is the 10th NC State player selected in the first five rounds of the last six MLB Drafts.
Over two years with the Wolfpack, the homegrown Serrano hit a combined .295/.390/.458, 11.1 BB%, 14.1 K%, 9-11 SB, with 21 2B, 16 HR, 93 R, and 71 RBI. During the Pack’s run to Omaha in 2024, he hit .297/.391/.449, 11.1 BB%, 11.8 K%, 7-8 SB, with 9 2B and 9 HR. After having played first base as a freshman for State and centerfield this past year, the Mets announced the lefty as an outfielder.
The Mets have plenty of opportunity when you look at the big league roster as all three starting outfielders and all three reserve outfielders on the active roster are over 30 years old, however the organization has used a lot of capital (via draft and trade) lately on outfielders. Four of the top ten prospects in the Mets organization are outfielders, including 2022 1st round picks Drew Gilbert and Jett Williams, international signee Luisangel Acuna (younger brother of Ronald Acuna), and Serrano’s former high school teammate Ryan Clifford. Gilbert, Acuna, and Clifford were all acquired via trade.
Being a draft-eligible sophomore, Serrano has the option to return in 2025 while maintaining his negotiating leverage with MLB clubs, should he choose that route. Should he decide to return to Raleigh and if he were able to work his way into a 2nd round pick next year, that would vastly increase his potential signing bonus (the 2nd round this year varies from $1.29-$2.33 million).